Mother Canary
by TheBlueFoxtrot A Samba
Summary: The boy is hurting, and not just the bruises she put on him. What kind of red blooded female would she be if she didn't feel for the poor boy?


Anything recognizably belonging to someone else, t'ain't mine.

* * *

For what had to be the fifth time in thirteen minutes, Super-Boy is slammed to the ground on his back. Dinah shifts back a step, out of range of a kick and waits. When he makes to stand, she sighs. The routine of today begins to be tiresome.

"Stay down," she tells him.

"No," he refuses.

Of course. Stubborn child.

She shakes her head and tells him,

"You're too distracted. There's no point to this if I don't have your full attention."

He ignores her and rises to his feet. His breath comes in huffs, and he feels his pulse at his temple. Normally, he could at least hold his own against the more skilled woman without getting winded, but today, fighting her was taking too much effort. However, he usually dosen't have so much on his mind.

"What are you trying to prove?"

"I'm trying to train," he brings his fists up and shifts his weight. "What does it look like?"

She arches a brow, clearly unbelieving.

"It looks like you're getting trounced by a woman who weighs half as much as you."

He smirks.

"I doubt that last part."

Aside from narrowing her eyes, she doesn't respond to his smart aleck remark. The boy could be a brat at times.

"I usually don't beat you _this _badly."

That's all right though, because she can be a bit of a jerk herself.

"Something's bothering you," she observes.

He keeps his silence for a moment before relaxing his stance and dropping his gaze.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No!" his answer comes before the question is out of her mouth. "There's nothing to talk about."

"I doubt that last part," she says in a repeat of his earlier statement and waves a dismissive hand. "We're done for today."

For a moment, he gets a stubborn look about him. Seeming to change his mind, he nods shortly and starts to walk past her. When he's reached her side, she says,

"He's not perfect just because Super is in his title," he pauses just past her as she speaks, "He's still a man with flaws."

He gives no indication of acknowledgment, but she knows he hears her. Super hearing and all that.

"Try to put yourself in his place. You were a huge surprise to him. He doesn't know what he's supposed to say or how react to you."

She's not sure why she's talking to him about this. Yet she is anyway.

Dinah glances at him from her peripheral. His hands are clenched at his sides, and he's glaring at a spot above her head. If he'd had heat vision, he'd have blazed a hole through the mountain a mile out, easy.

"You're defending him."

It's an accusation. She doesn't really blame him.

"He's a good man."

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't know from personal experience or anything. As soon as he sees me, he's gone the next minute. Never really had time for talks or a 'Hey, how are you?' or anything? Oliver comes by just to see how Artemis is doing. Even Batman checks in on Robin!"

She stares a hole in the side of his head and crosses her arms over her belly. He looks all of sixteen years young. She's reminded he's not even a year old.

And she rather agrees with his sentiment, on the emotional aspect of it.

In his stance, he inadvertently reveals his hurt, hunched shoulders and bowed head. It makes her think of a kicked puppy, trying to growl at the ones who hurt him. Dinah feels a swell of emotion in her chest, a sort of uncomfortable tightening. With it comes a vague definition that compels her to try and get the boy to calm down and be, at least, moderately happy.

It's very, as Robin is fond of saying, 'concerting'.

"Men are stupid. As Superman, he's doubly cursed. You're young, so there might be some hope for you."

That gets his full attention, and his glare is powerful even without heat vision. She resists the smirk, thinking one day that look will be downright terrifying to the bad guys. At least he doesn't look so incredibly _sad_ anymore.

"I'm serious," he bites out.

"It was a joke," she nods, "Granted, a bad one. He'll come around, kid," she briefly touchedsa hand to his shoulder, "Just give him time."

"By the time that happens, I probably won't even care anymore," he tries to keep his tone level and aloof, but she hears it anyway. "And I'm not a kid."

And that face is back and so's the tightening. Usually, after training sessions, he goes his way, and she hers. She can't bring herself to do it today.

"You hungry?" she blurts.

"Not overly."

"We'll get something at Star City. Are these the only clothes you have?"

He sends her an odd glance.

"What_ are_ you talking about?"

She speaks slow and deliberate, as if to a child.

"We're going to Star City. To feed and clothe you."

"I have clothes, and there's food here."

"Must you be so argumentative? Just shower and meet me back in here in fifteen minutes. We'll make a day of it."

Difficult child, she wants to stay.

"Why?"

She wants to shake the boy and has half a mind to do it. It would completely counteract what she was going for, but the temptation remained. Try to be nice and get an interrogation.

"For once, can you just do something without being so incredibly quarrelsome?"

"Whatever, _Mom_," he rolls his eyes and stalks off before he sees Dinah go pale and very still.

Mom?

Oh, heaven help.

* * *

A/N: The only reason I know of this show is because of a video of leik777 on youtube. He made a promo video for the dub series he's going to do. As it is, I'm not sure who to start fan-girling over first.

And with no father-figure, someone's gotta take a parental role to the boy.


End file.
